1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developing processing apparatus in which a silver halide color photographic photosensitive material (hereinafter referred to as a photosensitive material) is subjected to developing processing, and a developing processing method in which the developing processing apparatus can be applied.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an example of a developing processing apparatus, there has been proposed a system in which a photosensitive material is subjected to developing processing in such a manner that a processing solution is jetted from jetting holes of a blowoff chamber, which blowoff chamber is disposed on a conveying path of the photosensitive material, toward an emulsion surface of the photosensitive material, and a processing solution in a processing tank is agitated (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2-46,453).
The above-mentioned developing processing apparatus and a developing processing method using the same cause no problem in developing processing for a small-size photosensitive material for photography and the like. However, when a photosensitive material having a large transverse dimension is used, non-uniform processing is caused and a desired photographic property is not obtained.
It is considered that the above-described problem arises from an arrangement pattern of jetting holes and a hole diameter of the jetting holes. In order to prevent clogging of the jetting holes, which causes non-uniform processing, it is preferable that the hole diameter of the jetting holes be made larger. However, the capacity of conventional pumps is small, and therefore, flow velocity of jet flow decreases and a desired photographic property cannot be obtained. Further, as long as the number of jetting holes is reduced, the flow velocity of jet flow can be increased even in conventional pumps, but in this case, non-uniform processing is caused.
However, in conventional developing processing apparatuses and developing processing methods using the same, the arrangement pattern of jetting holes and the hole diameter of the jetting holes are not set due to viewpoints like the above. Further, in the conventional cases, no solutions based on an examination of other causes of non-uniform processing has been found.